I Wanna Be Rich - I Think

By Jerry Stewart

How many of us have said, "Man I wish I could win the lottery or something and just be rich. If I was rich my troubles would all be over". Oh really. Well, consider these statistics. According to a recent report, of the people who have won the lottery, there are more than an average number of divorces, of bankruptcy and, get this, a much higher than average of suicides. Yep, that’s what I said – suicides. According to this report issued, people who become rich overnight usually don’t have the skills to handle all that money, and they are made miserable by all the pressure it brings and all the people who suddenly seek to become their new best friends.

A case in point is one man by the name of Richard Hatch. Now if you are a big fan of the TV reality show, "Survivor" you know who this man is. If you’re like me and never watched the show, let me clue you in. Richard Hatch was one of the "Survivor" winners a few years back and I believe his winnings were a cool million bucks.

Now I just wonder how many people envied Mr. Hatch and his new found riches. But him getting the million dollars was not where the story ended. It seems that when Richard Hatch got the dough he forgot one very small detail – he never paid his income taxes on the million dollar earnings and he spent the money. Now, he’s in big, big trouble for tax evasion and he may just be spending some time in the big house.

About now you might be saying, "Oh he’s just a foolish man. I would never be that foolish. And beside, what’s wrong with having some extra money?" Nothing, if you can handle it – and very few people can.
And just what’s the deal with so many of these overnight millionaires going broke. Well, it’s actually a fairly simple concept. Most of us don’t have much money, so whatever mistakes we make with what little we have, we can’t do ourselves much damage. But, when the numbers get higher the stakes get higher, and the fall is so much farther. You’ve heard the adage, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall". When it comes to money this is so true.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe money corrupts everyone and I don’t believe that money is the root of all evil. Some try to tell us that the Bible says that – but it doesn’t. The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. And when the quest for money becomes more important than anything else, well there’s not much room for anything else.

So, just what’s the solution to the whole money thing? Don’t be afraid to charge a fair wage for a fair day’s work. And don’t be self-conscious if you do make more money than the next guy. But, know this – being rich is no guarantee of happiness. And statistically, the odds are against it. If you doubt me, perhaps you should ask Mr. Hatch. He might just have a different take on this whole money thing now that he’s seen both sides - think about it. I’m Jerry Stewart saying, "Whatever pile of money you possess, big or small, don’t forget – It’s Your Money!